§ Mr. Footasked the Parliamentary Secretary to the Admiralty whether consideration has been given to extending the use of the Royal Dockyards on commercial work.
§ Mr. W. EdwardsThe primary function of the Royal Dockyards is the maintenance and servicing of the Fleet, but it is Admiralty policy to undertake repayment work wherever there is spare capacity and labour available for such work. My noble Friend has recently appointed a committee to examine the manufacturing capacity of the Engineering Department of the Royal Dockyards248W at home, with particular reference to the facilities available for commercial repayment work, and to advise whether additional commercial work can be undertaken without prejudicing the performance of the primary function of the Dockyards. This committee is under the chairmanship of Mr. Cecil Bentham, C.B.E., M.Inst.C.E., M.I.Mech.E., M.Inst.I., a prominent industrial consultant. Sir John Stephenson, C.B.E., a past President of the Confederation of Shipbuilding and Engineering Unions, and Captain (E) L. A. Taylor, C.B.E., R.N., are the other members.